The invention relates to a laser machining head for a numerically controlled machine tool. The laser machining head includes a tool shaft capable of being coupled to the tool holder of the numerically controlled machine tool which is intended to receive the tool shaft of a mechanical machining tool. The tool shaft allows for the coaxial arrangement of the laser head in relation to the axis of the mechanical machining tool so that interchangeability with a mechanical machining tool is possible. The invention furthermore relates to auxiliary equipment for a numerically controlled machine tool with such a laser machining tool capable of being coupled to the tool holder of the machine tool.
A numerically controlled machine tool for selective machining of a production piece either by means of a mechanical machining tool or by means of a laser cutting device is known from EP 0158866 B1. In this known machine tool the mechanical machining tool, e.g., a punch tool, and the laser machining head are each equipped with the same type of shaft by means of which they can be inserted in the tool seat of the machine tool. When the laser machining head has been inserted into the tool seat, the geometrical axis of the laser head is identical with the geometrical axis of the mechanical machining tool. Consequently the same program can be used in such a machine for either the mechanical or the laser machining head.
In this known machine tool the replaceable laser machining head is a rigid device. It consists of a cylindrical hollow body and includes a nozzle directed upon the production piece and a lens setting with a lens through which the laser rays are focused on the production piece. The laser rays are deflected in the axial direction via a deflection mirror located outside the laser head and are directed through the hollow body upon the lens.
Furthermore, a device of the type mentioned initially in which the laser beam of the laser is transmitted by means of a light-conducting cable to the laser machining head is known from (JP 3-165983 A, Patents Abstracts of Japan, 1991, Vol. 15/No. 404, Sec. M-1168.
It is the object of the present invention to develop a machine tool of the type mentioned initially so that possible shifts of the geometric axis of the laser beam and/or angular deflections of the laser beam which are inevitable in the optical system of such a machine because of maladjustments in the mechanical and in the optical systems, may be corrected with relative ease.